Carlisle

Carlisle's population grew in the 10 years leading up to 2011. At the same time there were changes in health and religion.

The population reached nearly 110,000

In the 10 years leading up to the latest census, the population of Carlisle increased by 6.7%, from almost 101,000 to 108,000.

The addition of just under 6,800 people means this area's population increased at a slower rate than the total population of England (up 7.9% since the 2001 census).

In 2011, Carlisle was home to, on average, 0.74 people per football pitch-sized piece of land (about 7,140 square metres).

Population density was lower than the average across the North West

Population density (usual residents per 7,140 square metres) across the North West, March 2011 (larger dots represent greater increase since 2001)

Health improved

Census 2011 data also show a change in the local population's well-being.

The percentage of Carlisle residents that described their health as bad or very bad decreased from 9.7% in 2001 to 6.0% in 2011.

Rates are standardised to account for variation in age, which can impact the local population's health.

In 2011, just over 8 in 10 (80%) said their health was good or very good, compared with 67% in 2001. The percentage of Carlisle residents that described their health as fair decreased from 23% to 14%.

The proportion of residents that perceived their health as bad or very bad fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the North West (from 11% in 2001 to 6.8% in 2011). Across England, the proportion fell from 9.1% to 5.5%.

These data are people’s own opinions in describing their overall health. They may be inconsistent with other measures of health, such as NHS records.

The percentage of people in ’bad’ or ’very bad’ health in Carlisle decreased by 3.7 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in Carlisle, the North West and England said their health was bad or very bad, March 2001 and March 2011

Religion in Carlisle

The number of people in Carlisle that described themselves as having no religion increased from just over 11,000 in 2001 to just under 25,000 in 2011. This represents a change from 11% to 23% of the local population.

The percentage increased by more than the average across the North West (from 10% to 20%) and the average across England (from 15% to 25%).

The number of people in Carlisle that described themselves as Christian decreased from just over 81,000 in 2001 to just over 74,000 in 2011 (from 81% to 69%). The number of people who did not disclose their religious affiliation decreased from just over 7,800 to just over 7,300 (from 7.8% to 6.8%).

About 460 people (0.2%) said they were Muslim, up from just under 240 in 2001 (0.4%).

There are many factors that can cause changes to the religious profile of an area, such as migration and varying fertility rates between religious groups. Changes may also be caused by differences in the way individuals choose to self-identify between censuses.

The population without a religion in Carlisle increased by 12 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in England, North West and Carlisle by religion, March 2001 and March 2011

More homes without children

The percentage of households without children increased in Carlisle at a faster rate than across England.

In Carlisle, the proportion of households without children increased from 63% in 2001 to 65% in 2011. During the same period, the proportion across England increased from 61% to 61%.

Across the North West, the share of households without children increased from 59% to 61%.

The proportion of households with children in Carlisle fell from 27% to 26%, while the proportion of households with only adult children living with their parents decreased from 10% to 9.7%.

The proportion of households without children was higher than across the North West

Percentage of households that without children across local authority areas in the North West and the average across England, March 2011

Housing in Carlisle

The percentage of households that owner their home fell here, but at a slower rate than across the North West.

In Carlisle, the proportion of home ownership decreased from 70% in 2001 to 68% in 2011. During the same period, the regional proportion decreased from 69% to 65%.

Across England, the share of households that owner their home decreased from 68% to 63%.

Private renting in Carlisle increased from 8.3% to 14%, while the rate of social housing decreased from 18% to 15%.

The rate of home ownership was higher than across the North West

Percentage of households that that owner their home across local authority areas in the North West and the average across England, March 2011

More people cohabiting

The percentage of households in Carlisle, which comprised a cohabiting couple, increased from 7.6% to 9.7% in the decade to 2011.

In 2011, just over one in three (34%) households had only a single person, compared with 32% in 2001. The percentage of households in Carlisle, which comprised a married couple (with or without children), decreased from 37% to 33%.

The proportion of households with an unmarried couple increased here at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the North West (from 7.9% in 2001 to 9.8% in 2011). Across England, the proportion increased from 8.3% to 9.9%.

The percentage of households with a cohabiting couple in Carlisle increased by 2.1 percentage points

Percentage of households in Carlisle, the North West and England that had an unmarried couple, March 2001 and March 2011

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Area report data

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